Ever wonder how the night sky looked to our predecessors? How they
explained what they saw? And how their explanations affected and were
affected by their view of themselves in their own universe? The answers
to these questions shed light on our modern scientific explorations, how
we go about them, and what we value of them.

This course explores scientific developments in Renaissance astronomy
and their portrayal in literature past and present. By reading some of
the writings by Copernicus, Galileo and the prolific Kepler, we will
attempt to draw a portrait of scientific upheaval during that period.
The science fiction of the Renaissance offers a window into the popular
response to these developments, as do various commentaries of the time.
Dramatic pieces both recent and of that period show the artistic
reconstruction of scientific events, sometimes through a very modern
lens. The course will feature a chance for you to be a part of the
performance of Brecht's "Galileo" or similar piece, as well as a chance
to observe the night sky for yourself, just as Copernicus, Kepler and
Galileo did.